The stories will have the main characters from the [[Harry Potter]] universe have an encounter with the characters from another. E.g. Harry Potter/Twilight, Harry Potter/Percy Jackson, etc. The story ''[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3991385/1/Sherlock_Holmes_and_the_Ravenclaw_Codex Sherlock Holmes and the Ravenclaw Codex]'' is a good example of this style.

The stories will have the main characters from the [[Harry Potter]] universe have an encounter with the characters from another. E.g. Harry Potter/Twilight, Harry Potter/Percy Jackson, etc. The story ''[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3991385/1/Sherlock_Holmes_and_the_Ravenclaw_Codex Sherlock Holmes and the Ravenclaw Codex]'' is a good example of this style.

Revision as of 18:32, January 15, 2013

This article is not part of the Harry Potter universe.This article covers a subject that is part of the real world, and thus should not be taken as a part of the Harry Potter universe.

Fanon and fan fiction are terms used to refer to "fan canon" and unofficial fiction written by fans. Harry Potter fan fiction is a way for fans of the series to explore themes and ideas that are not explored via the books by J.K. Rowling. However, in discussing the novels and films, care must be taken not to mistake fanon, and material within fan fiction, with official canon.

Contents

Individual fanon

Fanon can take the form of personal beliefs held by individuals, such as hypothesising on characters' eventual spouses and children. Examples of this are that Rubeus Hagrid married Olympe Maxime or that Argus Filch married Irma Pince. There is no basis for either of these statements in canon, and is most likely "wish-fulfillment" on the part of the fans who wish to see their favourite characters happy.

Over time, elements of fanon can become ingrained into the popular milieu of an entertainment franchise. The Star Trek franchise is well-known for the development of fanon information, which has resulted in unfounded criticism being levelled against a Star Trek series or film accused of violating "facts" not actually in evidence on screen; at the opposite end of the spectrum, however, the character Nyota Uhura was officially given a first name after more than 40 years in the 2009 Star Trek film, and the name originated as fanon. Fanon is also a major aspect of the fan communities for franchises such as Doctor Who and Star Wars.

Fan fiction

Fan fiction or "fanfic" is stories written by fans, either to continue the adventures of the main characters, or change the outcome of the canonical storyline to one they favour. Examples of this are the many stories that disregard the canonical pairing of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley, in favour of Harry and Hermione Granger. A popular sub-genre is slash fiction, where two same-sex characters are romantically paired. In fan fiction, any character pairing is possible, regardless of age, gender, or personality.

Other fan fiction includes creating a new character, and their adventures within the Harry Potter universe. These characters often take the form of what is known in fan fiction circles as a "Mary Sue", which denotes characters created based upon the authors. Mary Sues (which, label notwithstanding, can be male or female) often interact with the main characters of the series and play a central role in key events. Romantic entanglements with a particularly beloved (to the author) character often occur, these are called shippings.

Fan fiction, like all fiction, ranges in quality from the poor to the excellent. Many Harry Potter fan websites maintain their own fan fiction section for fans to post their stories. And while some elements of fandom look down upon fan fiction (particularly stories that fall within the tropes described above), many professional fiction writers began their careers writing fan fiction, and there are cases of writers who began as composers of fan fiction for Star Trek and Doctor Who going on to write official canonical episodes for them later.

Categories

There are several sub-categories within Harry Potter fanfiction. These include (though are not limited to):

Pre-Hogwarts

Stories detailing the characters' lives before they attended Hogwarts; i.e. Ron's homelife growing up at the Burrow.

Hogwarts/Books

Many of these stories feature alternative versions of specific books; often written before their canonical equivalents were published.

Post-Hogwarts

This category has two subcategories of its own:

Epilogue Compliant

Stories in which the author will attempt to include events considered to be canon (often having been disclosed by J. K. Rowling herself) in a bid to write the connection between the end of the final battle, and the "Nineteen Years Later" epilogue. However, they will often add non-canon events in order to "flesh out" the narrative. The story Nineteen Years is an increasingly popular example of this type.

Epilogue Non-compliant

The writer of this type of story will make little or no effort to make the narrative events of their story marry up with the canonical universe. This will allow for a far more imaginative storyline, and often includes non-canonical romantic pairings. The story Lost Time is a good example of this type.

Crossover

The stories will have the main characters from the Harry Potter universe have an encounter with the characters from another. E.g. Harry Potter/Twilight, Harry Potter/Percy Jackson, etc. The story Sherlock Holmes and the Ravenclaw Codex is a good example of this style.

Alternative Universe

These stories are based around the idea of "what would happen if...?". Many of these will place main characters, such as Harry, in different points in time; in a universe where Voldemort is the headmaster at Hogwarts; in a universe where Harry was adopted by Snape; in a universe where Harry never went to Hogwarts, etc. The story Almost A Squib is a successful example of this style.

Fanon on the Harry Potter Wiki

Fan fiction is permitted on user pages, as long as it is not the main contribution of a user to this wiki. Fan fiction becomes fanon when the creators attempt to integrate their characters or versions of events into the official canon by adding it to existing articles or creating one relating to the character.

This type of fanon is considered vandalism on the Harry Potter Wiki, and may be grounds for permanent bans for persistent offenders.

Notable Fanfiction

The following fanfictions have been considered notable enough (due to widespread publicity or special considerations) to merit their own entries on the Harry Potter Wiki: